Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of concealing trillions of naira in the 2026 federal budget through the Service-Wide Vote (SWV), calling for a full public explanation of the controversial expenditure.
In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alleged that the Service-Wide Vote increased from ₦638 billion in 2025 to ₦12.8 trillion in the 2026 budget, representing a rise of nearly 1,918 per cent.
Atiku described the increase as a troubling example of fiscal opacity, arguing that such a sharp jump in discretionary spending raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
The former vice president specifically questioned an allocation of ₦2.19 trillion listed as personnel costs under the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. He contrasted the figure with the ₦54.8 billion earmarked for salaries at the Federal Ministry of Finance, asking who the workers receiving the funds are and under which government agencies they operate.
“Who exactly are the workers earning ₦2.19 trillion? Where are they? What offices do they occupy? What agencies do they belong to?” Atiku asked, describing the figures as “budgetary absurdity” rather than responsible fiscal planning.
According to the statement, the Service-Wide Vote is linked to just 10 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), which allegedly account for 84 per cent of the entire federal budget. Atiku further claimed that the amount allocated under the SWV now exceeds the combined budgets for education, defence and agriculture.
He warned that unless the Federal Government provides a detailed explanation of the expenditure, Nigerians could reasonably question whether the funds are intended for political purposes, including preparations for the 2027 general elections. He argued that a government asking citizens to endure economic hardship must also demonstrate transparency in the management of public resources.
Atiku also called on the National Assembly to conduct a comprehensive, line-by-line investigation into the Service-Wide Vote, particularly the ₦2.19 trillion personnel allocation, and compel the government to disclose the beneficiaries and legal basis for the expenditure.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning had not publicly responded to Atiku’s allegations.
